Fox News Releases Statement on Hannity's Trump Rally Appearance, Calls It an 'Unfortunate Distraction'
President Donald Trump invited some influential supporters from the media to join him during his final campaign rally before Tuesday’s midterm elections.
The invited guests included Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro, two Fox News hosts who took the stage Monday night in Cape Girardeau, Missouri — to the chagrin of the cable news network.
As The Daily Caller reported, Hannity had received some backlash after the president listed him as a “special guest” in promoting the rally.
The radio and television host responded by telling his audience that he would not be actively campaigning with Trump and would only be on hand to broadcast from the event.
When Trump invited Hannity and Pirro on stage, both accepted, prompting a response from Fox News.
In its statement, the network said it “does not condone any talent participating in campaign events.”
Calling the story an “unfortunate distraction,” Fox News indicated that it has already addressed the situation.
Statement from Fox News spokesperson re Sean Hannity and Judge Jeanine appearing on stage at Trump’s rally last night: pic.twitter.com/TLqAbXaONB
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) November 6, 2018
“We have an extraordinary team of journalists helming our coverage tonight and we are extremely proud of their work,” the network said.
Hannity briefly addressed the crowd, first referring to the journalists covering the event as “fake news.”
“Mr. President, I did an opening monologue today and I had no idea you were going to invite me up here,” he said. “The one thing that has made and defined your presidency more than anything else: Promises made, promises kept. Four and a half million new American jobs, 4.3 million Americans off food stamps, 4 million Americans out of poverty and we’re not dropping … cargo planes of cash to Iranian mullahs that chant ‘Death to America.’ Mr. President, thank you.”
Hannity addressed the controversy over his appearance in a series of tweets Tuesday morning.
What I said in my tweet yesterday was 100% truthful. When the POTUS invited me on stage to give a few remarks last night, I was surprised, yet honored by the president’s request. This was NOT planned.
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) November 6, 2018
In the first post, he said his statement prior to the rally was “100% truthful,” adding that he was “surprised, yet honored” that Trump would invite him onstage.
“This was NOT planned,” he wrote.
To be clear, I was not referring to my journalist colleagues at FOX News in those remarks. They do amazing work day in and day out in a fair and balanced way and It is an honor to work with such great professionals.
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) November 6, 2018
About a minute later, he published another tweet suggesting his colleagues deserve an exemption from his “fake news” comments.
“To be clear, I was not referring to my journalist colleagues at FOX News in those remarks,” Hannity tweeted. “They do amazing work day in and day out in a fair and balanced way and It is an honor to work with such great professionals.”
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